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By: Ina Steiner

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eBay introduced a Woot.com-like microsite in which a few sellers offer quantities of a one item for one day (link)

There are several complaints coming in from sellers about this merchandising promotion. First is the classic "big seller versus small seller complaint." The opportunity to participate in eBay Big Deals page appears to be limited to large PowerSellers.

In the real world, this seems like a strange complaint. After all, the promotion is based on having large quantities of like items. But one of eBay's core principles is that of being a "level playing field," and sellers question eBay when they believe it is being inconsistent.

The second complaint revolves around excessive shipping. One reader wrote to me, "This past month eBay has been going around killing thousand and thousands of sellers items in the cell phone accessories categories, citing fee avoidance for putting $2 too much shipping , yet they advertise the people charging $19 to ship an Ipod, $14.00 to ship an MP3 player, and $9 to ship perfume?"

A third complaint is that at least one of these sellers has put as their location the name of their website - including the .com. eBay prohibits sellers from linking or writing their website URL in listings.

One seller compares the Big Deals promotion to Kmart promotions, and another questions how the Big Deals helps the "magic of eBay," referring to CEO Whitman's recent criticism of Store inventory: "The marketplace has been overwhelmed with identical, often poorly-priced items that have diluted the magic of the eBay experience."

A discussion is going on about this in the eBay forums (link). What do you think?

by: Richard Chemel

Wed Sep 13 14:04:15 2006

eBay has done IT again. I saw this page- and wondered " what the heck are they doing this for?" The labor and cost into creating this "Big Deal" page could have been focused in other areas- it's just another "throw it against the wall and hope it sticks" mentality from the folks that I thought were looking to increase their core market. This appears to be a side step.

RC

eBay Big Deals Promo Generates Seller Concerns

by: hula-mermaid

Wed Sep 13 14:39:33 2006

This is another prime example of more shareholders' equity being flushed down the toilet. Investors should demand to know why Meg and Bill keep hiring more and more ''little people'' to develop ''new enhancements.'' EBAY will be lucky to survive, if the M&B show is not cancelled this season.

hm

eBay Big Deals Promo Generates Seller Concerns

by: th

Wed Sep 13 18:34:45 2006

Re the quasi-links to websites. Good Grief!!! the links are all over eBay, especially among power sellers --- AND absolutely nothing is really done about it. On eBay for eight years. Follow all the rules and wonder why I do....

eBay Big Deals Promo Generates Seller Concerns

by: the ship is sinking

Wed Sep 13 23:28:21 2006

this is another example of ebay saying one thing and doing another....ho hum

eBay Big Deals Promo Generates Seller Concerns

by: Richard Chemel

Thu Sep 14 17:10:31 2006

Whatever happened to the Voices Program? One would think that those participating in this program would speak up. Whether they are being heard or listened to is another thing.

I haven't checked the PESA board, but I am sure there is some thought about the Big Deal program over there as well.

eBay Big Deals Promo Generates Seller Concerns

by: lammergeiernet

Thu Sep 14 23:43:53 2006

Quote"people charging $19 to ship an Ipod, $14.00 to ship an MP3 player, and $9 to ship perfume?"End-Quote

Those are fairly typical Canadapost prices without handling for shipping within Canada , or Canada to the USA hehe.

eBay Big Deals Promo Generates Seller Concerns

by: Fred Murphy

Sun Sep 24 08:42:28 2006

The level playing field is a lie and always has been. For example, one seller used a second account to bid after being put on a blocked bidder list, a NARUable offense. They only NARUed on account, but said they'd let the other one go, since it was a parfulseller.

I saw complaints about Big Deals where one of the featured sellers was selling the identical item $50 cheaper in his ebaY store. Shouldn't the Big Deal at least be the lowest fixed price available on ebaY?

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